2013 Origins Award Nominee You want to build a world. Twenty authors want to help.It begins when you have that moment when you can close your eyes and see a world no-one has seen before. It might start from a grain of sand, the way light filters through the trees, the feel of satin robes, the smell of cooking soup, or simply a wish for somewhere, somewhen else. It happens... [click here for more]

Are you looking for beautifully hand drawn shields for your project/book/wall?
Here is where you will find them.
What do you get with your purchase?
1. An 10 page .pdf with four shields in full colour and Black & White
2. A .zip file with all eight (Colour & Black/White) images on transparent background (.png)
3. My gratitude!
Please feel free to contact me with your... [click here for more]

Are you looking for beautifully hand drawn axes for your project/book/wall?
Here is where you will find them.
What do you get with your purchase?
1. An 8 page .pdf with all three axes in full colour and Black & White
2. A .zip file with all six (Colour & Black/White) images on transparent background (.png)
3. My gratitude!
Please feel free to contact me with your commissions.... [click here for more]

TWENTY-FOUR ACTION MOVIES EXPLODERobin D. Laws, game designer by day, cinema super-enthusiast by night, sets his analytic laser sights on action and thrills in a collection of essays sure to supercharge your tabletop roleplaying experience.
As the countdown ticks and the bullets fly, Robin takes you inside the workings of 24 action movies, from the stone... [click here for more]

Truth may be stranger than fiction but reality makes the best fantasy. A system-neutral guide to inspire GMs and players alike.
Ever sit down to brainstorm for your next campaign and come up blank? Find yourself wondering, "what WOULD my character do in this situation?"
Get your creative wheels turning with Reality Makes the Best Fantasy,... [click here for more]

During the eight year run of Living Greyhawk, the world’s largest role-playing campaign, the Bandit Kingdoms region produced over 130 unique adventures. For the first time ever, these narrative threads are woven into one cohesive tapestry. For those who helped shape these events, this comprehensive resource memorializes their struggles against Iuz’s oppressive rule. For others, this compilation... [click here for more]

Rally Your CrewBased on the best-selling novels by Brandon Sanderson and powered by an all new story-driven rules system, the Mistborn Adventure Game lets you explore, command, or liberate the oppressed world of Scadrial, battle the Lord Ruler's Inquisitors, and master the primal forces of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. It features new official fiction from Brandon... [click here for more]

How can you adapt a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery into your own adventure?A Case of Identity (A Study in Storytelling #3) helps you to deconstruct the original story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You can then reimagine, remix, and recycle the story elements into any genre or setting. Designed for writers and roleplayers, use it to create original fiction or tabletop adventures!... [click here for more]

How can you adapt a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery into your own adventure?A Scandal in Bohemia (A Study in Storytelling #1) helps you to deconstruct the original story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You can then reimagine, remix, and recycle the story elements into any genre or setting. Designed for writers and roleplayers, use it to create original fiction or tabletop adventures!... [click here for more]

Any System! Any Setting!
Adventure is the Third Pillar of Fantasy Storytelling
This book is about story. I named it Adventure Theory because it’s a more compelling title for tabletop roleplaying gamers, but it’s only one component of a great fantasy adventure. To have a compelling adventure, you need solid characters and an interesting setting as well as a moderately coherent plot and... [click here for more]

How can you create memorable characters with great story potential?
At the heart of all great stories are strong characters. It doesn’t matter whether you’re reading a short story, writing a novel, or watching a play. The characters found in TV series, comic books, and games are more alike on a creative level than they are different. The symbiotic relationship between character... [click here for more]

Any System! Any Setting!
Characters are the First Pillar of Fantasy Adventure!
You’ve created fantasy roleplaying characters before. Odds are that the focus of the system you used was on the crunchy bits. The process tacked background details on at the end that may not have been relevant to the adventures you played. Most of the time, your character’s back story ended up as the storytelling... [click here for more]

How can you make the genre elements pop in your fantasy, science fiction, and horror adventure stories?Genre Structure: Escapist Bundle helps you to develop and tell spellbinding genre tales of fantastic worlds and entertaining characters. It is an essential sourcebook for creating fiction and tabletop adventures. Written for writers and roleplayers, with clear step-by-step... [click here for more]

How can you add more wonder and enchantment to your fantasy adventures?Fantasy Stories (Genre Structure Vol. 3) helps you to develop and tell spellbinding tales of magic and imagination. It is an essential sourcebook for creating fiction and tabletop adventures. Written for writers and roleplayers, with clear step-by-step instructions, you can:
Determine which fantasy... [click here for more]

Any System! Any Setting!
Using Class in Worldbuilding and Adventure Design
The appeal of the fighter is that it’s the most generic of character classes. It plays to the most basic rules, regardless of what system you’re using. There are no complicated and esoteric exceptions to be learned, making it perfect for new players. For those interested in roleplaying over tactics, it actually... [click here for more]

This special bundle product contains the following titles.Roleplaying EmotionRegular price: $6.00 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF How can you express your character’s feelings without embarrassing yourself?
Sometimes the hardest thing to do in a tabletop roleplaying game is engage with the roleplaying part. It's not that we have a shortage of ideas on... [click here for more]

This special bundle product contains the following titles.Character TheoryRegular price: $10.00 Bundle price: $8.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Any System! Any Setting!
Characters are the First Pillar of Fantasy Adventure!
You’ve created fantasy roleplaying characters before. Odds are that the focus of the system you used was on the crunchy bits. The process... [click here for more]

Add more terror and suspense to your horror adventures!Horror Stories (Genre Structure Vol. 1) helps you to develop and tell frightful tales of dread and darkness. It is an essential sourcebook for creating fiction and tabletop adventures. Written for writers and roleplayers, with clear step-by-step instructions, you can:
Determine which horror genre elements you wish... [click here for more]

Any System! Any Setting!
Teams of Characters in Fantasy Adventure
In the past four decades there have been millions of words written about character creation. There are scores of books on worldbuilding, and notable volumes on fantasy adventure design. For some reason, though, little has been written about the nature of parties.
To be sure, we do talk about “party balance”, and the generally... [click here for more]

More than simple plot hooks or adventure seeds!Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview of what happens, without spoiling anything. A good premise contains, explicitly or by implication, four key elements of the story: who the protagonists are, what the goal of the story... [click here for more]

Universal Story Ideas for any setting, any system, any genre!
This booklet contains five fables, along with notes on how you can use them as plot hooks and adventure seeds for your own roleplaying game adventures or works of original fiction. Remix, recycle, and re-imagine them with careful consideration or reckless abandon.
The fables in this volume are:
The Wolf and The LambThe... [click here for more]

Universal Story Ideas for any setting, any system, any genre!
This booklet contains five fables, along with notes on how you can use them as plot hooks and adventure seeds for your own roleplaying game adventures or works of original fiction. Remix, recycle, and re-imagine them with careful consideration or reckless abandon.
The fables in this volume are:
The Father and His SonsThe... [click here for more]

More than simple plot hooks or adventure seeds!Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview of what happens, without spoiling anything. A good premise contains, explicitly or by implication, four key elements of the story: who the protagonists are, what the goal of the story... [click here for more]

This special bundle product contains the following titles.Premise: Fantasy - 100 Plot IdeasRegular price: $5.10 Bundle price: $3.75 Format: PDF
More than simple plot hooks or adventure seeds!
Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview... [click here for more]

More than simple plot hooks or adventure seeds!Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview of what happens, without spoiling anything. A good premise contains, explicitly or by implication, four key elements of the story: who the protagonists are, what the goal of the story... [click here for more]

More than simple plot hooks or adventure seeds!Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview of what happens, without spoiling anything. A good premise contains, explicitly or by implication, four key elements of the story: who the protagonists are, what the goal of the story... [click here for more]

Stories at the intersection of fantasy, science fiction, and horror!Click on Full Size Preview for a sample!
A premise is the heart of a story summed up in a single sentence. It should provide a general overview of what happens, without spoiling anything. A good premise contains, explicitly or by implication, four key elements of the story: who the protagonists are, what... [click here for more]

How can you make alignment more useful and meaningful in your roleplaying games?Roleplaying Alignment presents a system for using the traditional nine-point alignment system to enrich your game. It presents alignment as a means for customizing your character's personality, goals, and beliefs. Simple mechanics reward characters who embody the tenets of their alignment, and... [click here for more]

How can you express your character’s feelings without embarrassing yourself?
Sometimes the hardest thing to do in a tabletop roleplaying game is engage with the roleplaying part. It's not that we have a shortage of ideas on how our characters would behave. Their abilities aren't a mystery to us, and we know how to use them to our tactical advantage. Things break down when we have to... [click here for more]

How can you get your game group to work better together and have more fun?
Most of you don’t need to be told how to play well with others. Unfortunately, you’ll run into people who do. For whatever reason, they never learned this particular set of social skills. Sitting down to play a game with them can be like herding cats — occasionally entertaining, but mostly frustrating.... [click here for more]

How can you use the literary concept of theme in a roleplaying game adventure?
Yes, roleplaying games are different in structure than other forms of fiction, and the needs of the story, the people telling the story, and the audience are all unique. They’re still stories, and embracing theme is a relatively easy way to make those stories better. It’s infinitely more interesting... [click here for more]

How can you add more excitement and bold vision to your science fiction adventures?Science Fiction (Genre Structure Vol. 2) helps you to develop and tell tales of discovery and possibility. It is an essential sourcebook for creating fiction and tabletop adventures. Written for writers and roleplayers, with clear step-by-step instructions, you can:
Determine which science... [click here for more]

How can you design dynamic settings that supports telling great stories?Setting Design helps you to assembling the critical details that you will need in order to tell a story. More than mere worldbuilding, this book shows you how to save prep time by focusing on just the elements you'll need and use.
With clear step-by-step instructions, you can:
Create a clear premise... [click here for more]

This special bundle product contains the following titles.A Case of Identity (A Study in Storytelling #3)Regular price: $2.00 Bundle price: $0.99 Format: PDF
How can you adapt a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery into your own adventure?
A Case of Identity (A Study in Storytelling #3) helps you to deconstruct the original story by Sir... [click here for more]

This special bundle product contains the following titles.Story Design: Coming of AgeRegular price: $2.00 Bundle price: $1.00 Format: PDF
How can you add more character focus and a slice of life to your adventures?
Story Design Volume 13 - In a coming of age plot, the protagonist gains maturity. This is often literal as the character... [click here for more]

Have you ever wanted higher stakes and deeper meaning in your escape adventures?Story Design Volume 5 - A breakout story involves a protagonist trying to escape from a situation that’s not of their choosing, and possibly not of their making. Their captivity can be literal, like being locked in prison or stranded on an island. It may also be figurative, like an abusive... [click here for more]

How can you add more inner conflict, fear or change, and wonder of discovery to your transformation adventures?Story Design Volume 12 - In a change story something upsets the protagonist’s life in a significant way. The character then has to adapt and come to terms with that change. It can be something normal yet tragic, like the death of a loved one or being diagnosed... [click here for more]

Have you ever wanted more danger and excitement in your pursuit adventure stories?Story Design Volume 3 - In a chase story, one character is pursuing another. The antagonist may be after the protagonist, or vice versa. The person being chased is often in possession of something valuable or important, has committed a crime and is fleeing justice, or believes... [click here for more]

How can you add more character focus and a slice of life to your adventures?Story Design Volume 13 - In a coming of age plot, the protagonist gains maturity. This is often literal as the character moves from one stage of their life to another, like from childhood to adolescence, or young adulthood to middle age. It can be metaphorical as they embark on a new career, learn... [click here for more]

Add a sense of alienation to your metamorphosis stories and adventures.Story Design Volume 11 - In a curse story the antagonist feels that the protagonist has done something wrong. Maybe they have, and the antagonist’s actions are justified; maybe they haven’t, and the antagonist’s wrath is misplaced or unfair. As a result of the antagonist’s need... [click here for more]

How can you add more heroic struggle and vicarious thrills to your underdog adventures?Story Design Volume 9 - In a dark horse story, the protagonist and antagonist are not evenly matched. The odds are stacked heavily in favor of the antagonist. Initially no one takes the protagonist seriously, but over the course of the story they shake off their underdog status to become... [click here for more]

How can you add more empathy and suspense to your story of tragic descent?Story Design Volume 20 - In a decline-and-fall story, the protagonist starts out in a high position, possessed of fortune and glory, having everything they could ever desire. This could be literal or metaphorical; they might have moral or ethical riches rather than money and possessions. The protagonist... [click here for more]

How can you add more conflict and suspense to your competitive adventures?Story Design Volume 8 - In a duel story, the protagonist and antagonist are competing against one another. They may be fighting to obtain the same objective, or simply trying to insure that the other doesn’t get what they’re after. The rivalry might be a sports competition, a race to make... [click here for more]

How can you put more action and excitement in your traveling adventure stories?Story Design Volume 1 - In the journey plot, the protagonist travels and has an adventure. It’s a simple as that. There’s no deeper meaning or existential crisis underlying the trip. There’s hidden message, or a need for the character to experience personal growth. It’s... [click here for more]

Add more thrills and dramatic tension to your mystery adventures!Story Design Volume 7 - The word mystery carries a lot of cultural baggage. From a genre point of view, it’s typically associated with murder. The story goal is to discover who did it, although more modern variations focus on figuring out how it was done, in order to prove who did it. A mystery doesn’t... [click here for more]

How can you add more danger and tragedy to your story of wretched excess?Story Design Volume 18 - In an obsession story the protagonist goes too far with something, and bad things happen as a result. The object of their excess can be an actual physical or psychological problem like alcoholism or drug addiction; it could also be an unhealthy fascination with a goal, a person,... [click here for more]

How can you add more retribution and gratification to your revenge adventures?Story Design Volume 6 - In a payback story the protagonist, or someone close to them, has somehow been wronged by the antagonist. Seeking to balance the scales or settle the score, the protagonist goes on a mission of revenge. It’s a story about a person seeking justice by taking the law... [click here for more]

How can you add more hope and excitement to your story of dreams and aspirations?Story Design Volume 19 - In a rags-to-riches story the protagonist starts out poor, unknown, and without any power or authority. This could be literal or metaphorical; they may be intellectually or spiritually poor, rather than without material wealth. Over the course of the story they rise... [click here for more]

Have you ever wanted more suspense and peril in your rescue adventures?Story Design Volume 4 - A rescue plot is an action-heavy structure where a supporting character (the victim) is being held against their will by the antagonist. The protagonist’s job is to locate the victim and escort them back to safety. There are variations possible, but the core of a rescue story... [click here for more]